What Could Microsoft Surface Mean for Gaming?

Confirmed by the company today, the Microsoft Surface tablet will release in October the same day as Windows 8. Aside from competing with Apple in the tablet market, what ramifications might be in store for gaming?
(iPad, Microsoft, Mobile, PC, Windows 8, Xbox 360)

Nothing tablet gaming hasn't already done, IMHO. In fact, it will be playing catch up the first year or two to Android and iOS devices. And, then, even though it has shown some nice hardware specs, its software end may not last as being the best out there considering a new iPad is expected and new Android tablets are put out every six months.

As far as operating like other console controllers, a purely tablet based device will work poorer than actual gaming devices with extra controls and a focus on integrating similar OS-based devices.

I cant wait to get a surface pro. It is going to replace my laptop and moto xoom as with the ipad and android tablets you still need a pc to carry out some simple tasks like printing archive emails edit full office and full we browsing.

Add game to that it makes the surface one of if not the best tablet we have ever seen.

We don't know if surface blows anything out of the water yet, first. Second, the next Android and iOS tablets could blow this version of Surface out of the water. You know, it's that thing where technology continues to advance.

And, trust me, I love the concept of the Surface. I'm not sold on it, I need to see some reviews and apps on it. But, it's a huge contender for replacing my iPad in October.

you still dont quite get it. there are two version of the surface, the regular one and the pro one.

the regular one is cheaper and runs on windows 8 RT which is a basically windows phone 8 for tabelts, it runs on ARM cpus and cant do everything the normal desktop can do. its a media consumption device at it core, and a direct competitor to the ipad and android tablets.

the surface PRO however is a total different beast!

the surface pro is a FULLY FUNCTIONAL LAPTOP! that can get detached from the keyboard dock and act like a tablet on the go! it run on X84 CPUs just like desktops and will come with intel i7 processor.

it have the same version of windows 8 on desktop, but this time windows 8 is more optimized for multitouch inputs in comparison to the half assed windows 7 tablets.

it basically runs windows full apps (EXE) its not just a half assed mobile OS in a tablet!

IOS 6 and jelly bean just dont compare to a full OS like windows 8 on the surface (PRO)

I think the power is in the MS eco-system whereby their tools are highly unified and the main advantage that nobody else has is Xbox Live integration. Also, the ability to start a game on one platform and seamlessly jump to another is fantastic.

I think there is a reason why Valve is upset, because Xbox Live and the app store might just be a valid contender!

I know for a fact, Android is shit and performs like it. iOS though is solid, but lacks some of the things XBL offers!

We will have to see, but the ability to have a tablet with x86 perform like a desktop would do wonders for gaming in my opinion. Wish they built in that Wireless Gaming adapter for the Xbox 360 controller and you got pure gaming bliss!

***I think the power is in the MS eco-system whereby their tools are highly unified and the main advantage that nobody else has is Xbox Live integration. Also, the ability to start a game on one platform and seamlessly jump to another is fantastic.***

SmartGlass is going to give everyone Xbox Live integration.

I don't think the majority of games will be corss-platform compatible, either.

***I think there is a reason why Valve is upset, because Xbox Live and the app store might just be a valid contender!***

Not because it's going to be a contender, but because it's going to be a cooked in contender with built-in advertising towards it. There's no way to compete with the OS maker decides who sees what first. This is akin to standard PC OS moving towards the closed OSs of phones.

I think there's going to be a lot of issues with this type of move. At least I hope there will.

***it basically runs windows full apps (EXE) its not just a half assed mobile OS in a tablet!***

It doesn't "basically" run full apps. It's just like mobile devices, it runs apps made for it. It's just like the other OSs out there for tablets/phones (Android/iOS).

***IOS 6 and jelly bean just dont compare to a full OS like windows 8 on the surface (PRO)***

I disagree with that. A lot. Especially as far as application purposes.

You look at Transformer Prime tablets, they run laptop quality applications on it. This is what Surface will do as well.

It's a tablet-sized device with tablet/pc capabilities, so it's essentially already superior to the ipad and android tablets through functionality already. In terms of execution, we'll just have to see but I'm pretty darn sure that ms won't release a half-baked product.

I wouldn't either. Time and time again, if MS really wants it they get it. They will outspend everyone, and put humongous resources on it. Only huge companies like Google and Apple can stand against them.

Just pray MS isn't hungry and stays that way.

@Saryk:

Nobody would have believed it during the first Xbox console. It was the laughing stock and look at it now!

I'm not sure Surface will mean much more than a basic desktop in the beginning. The Pro version is a basic desktop which will probably included Intel integrated graphics. I think the point where it will make a huge difference will be when Intel integrated graphics gain some real power. Or when ATI starts releasing APU's with CPU power fully enhanced with HSA. At that point you will have a very powerful CPU and GPU in a tablet with a fully functioning OS. And that will surely blow anything the others are doing out of the water.